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Year in Review: Viral Videos of 2014

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since the very first viral video sensation took the Internet by storm. In December of 2004, Gary Brolsma posted a video of himself lip-synching and dancing to a Romanian pop song “Dragostea Din Tei” just for fun (aka “Numa Numa”), and the trend of sharing videos was born. Although it took a few months for the video to get onto YouTube, it is now one of the most watched online videos of all time. So in honor of the “Numa Numa Kid,” let’s look back on a few of the top viral videos of 2014.

Mutant Giant Spider Dog

The owner of this dog created an (adorable) terror in their Polish town by dressing the pooch up as a spider and letting him roam around. The video has over 114,000,000 views on YouTube, and Chica (the name of the “Spider Dog”) has a Facebook fan page that boasts over 160,000 likes.

First Kiss

Created on a slim budget to serve as a commercial for Wren, a woman’s clothing and accessories line, this YouTube sensation has been viewed by over 94 million people on YouTube. While the individuals kissing in the video are complete strangers, a majority of them are professional performers who are used to acting out intimacy. Even so, the video remains surprisingly touching.

iPhone 6 Plus Bend Test

When the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launched in September, the Internet buzzed with social media posts and test videos claiming that the iPhone 6 Plus was susceptible to bending. One of the most viral “bend test” videos was created by Lewis Hilsenteger for his YouTube channel Unbox Therapy, which garnered more than 59 million views. However, when it became clear that only nine customers contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus, the #Bendgate scandal died down.

Literally anything involving “Let It Go” from Frozen

Although Frozen may have come out in November 2013, the academy-award winning song performed by Idina Menzel inspired countless fans to make their own music videos using the catchy song in 2014. The covers range from creative to cute to just hilariously strange, but one of the best covers was performed by Alex Boye with the One Voice Children’s Choir, which has been viewed more than 54 million times since February.

10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman

One of the few viral videos that addressed a serious and important issue, this short film demonstrates what it’s like to walk around New York City as a woman. The PSA captured over 37 million views, in addition to capturing 100 catcalls on film, and the creators it brings attention to street harassment and other everyday acts of sexism.

Jenny is a Junior Executive at SJG. She earned her BA in Psychology and a minor in Educational Studies in 2014 from Colgate University. Outside the office, Jenny loves to travel (usually to Disney World), bake and watch copious amounts of TLC.